Razer CEO says Covid-19 has accelerated path to the ‘Metaverse’, where content, commerce and networking exist in true virtual world

Min-Liang Tan, chief executive of gaming company Razer, said that the Covid-19 pandemic is driving the internet to the next stage of its evolution – something called the ‘Metaverse’ where cyberspace becomes more of an interactive 3D space with commerce and networking alongside content, much like the worlds in popular games such as Fortnite and Roblox.

Moreover, businesses and celebrities are getting in on the act by hosting product reveals and virtual concerts, driving the commercial potential.

First coined by science fiction writer Neal Stephenson in 1992, the metaverse has gained traction in recent months as mammoth gaming hits such as Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft have morphed into primary destinations for social interaction amid lockdowns and social distancing in the real world.

The metaverse was also given a further push by the 2018 sci-fi movie Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg, in which every member of society wears a virtual reality headset and can plug into a virtual world.

Tan said the Covid-19 pandemic has vastly inflated the number of gamers, making the metaverse concept more realistic than ever.

“We're not there yet but we are really stepping up for it,” said Tan in an interview with the Post this week. “Covid-19 has accelerated the path to the metaverse … primarily because those who typically would not have been a gamer, have now become gamers … and we believe that the first citizens of the metaverse will be gamers,”